In Gwalior, authorities successfully prevented potential unrest on Wednesday by maintaining a strong security presence amidst a significant dispute over allegedly offensive comments made by a lawyer. The lawyer had opposed the installation of a statue of B.R. Ambedkar.
After police issued clear warnings about strict actions to uphold peace and harmony, Dalit organizations and other community groups decided to cancel their planned demonstrations.
The core of the conflict lies in a disagreement between two factions concerning the placement of an Ambedkar statue at the Gwalior bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. While supporters of Dalit rights advocate for Ambedkar’s statue, another group has proposed installing a bust of Sir B.N. Rao, a respected former justice and constitutional expert, at the same location.
Ruchika Chauhan, the Gwalior Collector, confirmed that the situation remained calm due to the enhanced security. She noted that police have been conducting thorough checks for the past 48 hours and have confiscated several weapons.
“We have held meetings with various communities and organizations to ensure peace. The situation in Gwalior is currently normal and peaceful,” Chauhan stated to PTI.
To facilitate security checks in multiple locations, schools in Gwalior were declared closed for the day.
A police official emphasized that the administration is on high alert and exercising extreme caution.
Additional Superintendent of Police, Bidati Dabar, informed PTI Videos that robust security arrangements have been in effect across Gwalior district since early morning. “Special checkpoints have been established at all district borders, and approximately 4,000 police personnel have been deployed. We are conducting checks to identify suspicious individuals and vehicles,” she added.
The tension had intensified after Anil Mishra, a senior lawyer and former president of the High Court Bar Association, reportedly made remarks deemed controversial about Ambedkar. This led to strong demands from Dalit organizations for his arrest. A separate group voiced their support for Mishra. Both factions had planned protests for October 15.
However, in response to the firm stance of the police and local administration, these organizations have now canceled their planned demonstrations.
Security measures have also been increased around Mishra’s residence in the Patel Nagar area.